– K’NEX Brands, the only U.S. construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™, has chosen brothers Alex and Andy Liao as winners of its 2012 K’NEXpert Search. The nationwide building contest asks kids ages 5-12 to submit original designs made entirely out of K’NEX pieces. Alex, 8, is honored as a finalist and Andy, 5, has been selected as a grand prize winner in his age category. Both children live with their parents in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

This year, for the first time, three creative kids were awarded $20,000 savings bonds for college in celebration of the upcoming K’NEX 20th anniversary in 2012. Andy is honored as the grand prize winner in the 5-6 year-old category with his creation named Flash the Biplane – a replica of a biplane created entirely from K’NEX. Andy was quite the engineer when he designed this realistic K’NEX model that looks like it might just take flight.

Andy is following in his big brother’s footsteps. In 2010, Alex was honored as a grand prize winner in the 5-6 year-old category for his Eureka Mars Rover model. This year, he isn’t letting little brother take all the glory. Alex is honored as a finalist in the 2012 K’NEXpert Search in the 7-8 year-old category for his creation named Krane – a moveable crane created entirely from K’NEX.

The K’NEXpert Search is an annual building contest that asks kids to design an ultra-creative, original model made entirely out of K’NEX parts. Three Grand Prize winners and seven finalists were chosen from three age categories. The seven finalists will each be awarded a $1,000 Series EE U.S. Savings Bond to be put toward their college education. The three Grand Prize winners will each receive a $20,000 Series EE U.S. Savings Bond for college, twice the amount previously awarded in the contest, in celebration of the K’NEX upcoming 20th anniversary year in 2012. In addition, they will visit K’NEX headquarters in Hatfield, PA on December 2. As guests of K’NEX President Michael Araten the winners will receive their award checks, enjoy lunch with K’NEX designers and take a private factory tour. Their award-winning models will be displayed at K’NEX headquarters.

“The K’NEXpert contest is the highlight of our year,” said K’NEX President Michael Araten. “K’NEX fans consistently surpass our expectations with their creativity and innovation, building elaborate works of art that wow even our toy designers. We’re proud to have the Liao brothers represent K’NEX during our 20th anniversary year,” he said.

K’NEX is the world’s most innovative construction toy company. As the winner of more than 200 international awards, K’NEX encourages youngsters to “imagine, build and play.”

About K’NEX Brands
Founded in 1992, K’NEX Brands, the world’s most innovative construction toy company, was established to make and sell what has become one of the world’s leading integrated construction systems for children. Winner of over 200 international awards and recognitions, K’NEX is America’s building toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love, and encourages youngsters to “imagine, build and play.” Since 1992, The Rodon Group, a subsidiary of K'NEX Brands, L.P., has manufactured over 30 billion parts for the K'NEX building toy system. For more information, please visit http://www.knex.com or http://www.rodongroup.com.